Electrode holder



R. M. KEENEY AND vP. l. LNERGAN, JR. ElECTRODE HOLDER. l APPLfcATloN man 1AN.20, 1920.

1 Patnted Feb. 14,

= .Z4 BY R J. LoNERGAMJ/i ATTORNEY. n

UNITED STATES jPATENT OFFICE.`

normanni.` xEnNEY AND rnrmr JAY LONERGAN, JB., or DENVER, COLORADO; SAID.

mNEaeAN AssIeNon rro SAID xmaNnY.

ELESTRODE HOLDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 14,1922.

Appunti ma January 2o, 1920. seran No. 352,816.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ROBERT M. KEENEY and PHILIP JAY LONERGAN, Jr., citizens of the United States, residing at Denver, in the county vof -Denver and State of Colorado, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Electrode Holders, of which the following is a s eciication. f

This invention 're ates to electrode hold .ers of the t pe used in electric smelting furf In the form of electrode holders of this.

type at present most commonly used, the cooperating members thereof are composed of Iparts which are bolted together.

t fre uently occurs that these parts when subjecte to the influence of the heat expand unevenly and separate, thereby permitting the corrosive ases to form an oxidizing ilm between t em, which increases the resistance to vthe flow of electricity and compels theA bolts by` which the parts are connected to carry the greater part of the electric current.

The consequent overload tends to break the connections between the parts, thereby incapacitating the holder with the result that the operation of the furnace must be discontinued until it is either repaired or `V re laced.

he holders at present in use are furthermore defective in that their replacement or repair in case of breaka e, are attended b mechanical and electrica diiculties whic render the operation costlyin time as well as money and in that they are incapable of efliciently performing` their functions for any length of 'time under the influence of excessive heat and corrosive gases.

In view of the above, it is the primary object of the present invention to provide an electrode holder for electric furnaces in which an integral and heat-resisting construction eliminates to a great extent the diiculties heretofore experienced and in which the provision of interchangeable mem-v bers of very simple construction permits of their being replaced or repaired in case of breakage at a very nominal cost.

`Other objects of our invention reside in providingstrong and readily adjusted means for the connection of the members of whichY the holders are composed and in allowing a limited self-adjusting movement of the connected arts to compensate for irregularities in t e form of the electrodes with which l the parts engage.

The above and other objects, all of which will be fully described in the course of the following description, we attain by the c onstruction and arrangement of parts shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a partly Ybroken -plan view Aof our improved electrode holder;

gigure 2, a side elevation of the same;

l1 ing 1n the direction of the arrow A, v:Fig-

`ure 1.

Figure 4, a section on the line 1 -4', Figre 3, an end view of thel holder look i y anl ure 1 looking in the direction of the arrow A drawn across said line, and

Figure 5, a fragmentary plan view of one l of the arms of the holder showing a modiication in their construction.

Referring to the drawings electrode,` holder is composed bers 5 which are identical in form and construction and which are hinged to ether through the medium of an inter ose 6. Each member is composed o a curved 'aw 7 integrally formed at the end of a us-arm `8 of sufficient length to extend outour improved side the smelting chamber of the' furnace on which the electrodes are employed.

The jaw is reen'forced .by external ribs 9 and longitudinally boredtransverse bosses 10 and it has at its outer end a lip 12 for the application of connecting means hereinf vafter to be described.

A air of s aced ears 13 extending inof two memlink l war y from t e opppsite end of the aw cooperate with the efore-mentioned ink to hingedly connect the members, and cavities 14 wit in the body portions of the jaws provide .water chambers for cooling purposes. lI-Ianger-bolts 15 extending through the hollow bossesand` fastened by nuts 16 at y and lugs 17 formed at the outside of the arms' of the members are 'used for the ,same-purpose., The bus-arms of the members are bent at right angles at their outer ends for their connection with the flexible conductors of electricity, and they `are bored to supportl pipes 18 which connect with the internalfchambers of thelr respective jaws to conduct water theretofrom a convenient source of supply. *.:The the inner ends-ef their curved jaws is curved to cooperate therewith in gripping an electrode placed between them.

The link which is inserted at its ends in the spaces between the ears 13 of the two members of the holder ispivotally secured by pins 19.extending through alined apertures 1n the ears and its respective ends, the apertures of the link beingsomewhat larger than thediameter of the pins to permit of a limited selfadjusting movement of the link to compensate for irregularities in the form of the electrodes.

Cotters 20 in apertures in the upper ends of the pivot pins prevent their downward displacement.

The means for fastening the jaws together at their outer ends consist in the preferred form o'our invention of a key 2l which extends through slots in the outwardly projecting lips of the members of the holder, in which it is snugly fitted, and which is slotted for the reception of wedges 22 which by engagement with the outer surfaces of the lips securely lock the parts together.

Pins 23 in apertures of the wedges prevent their displacement.

The members of the holder are made of 'cast metal or an alloy of metals and are of the proper size and proportions to securely support the heavy electrodes and to withstand heat and external stress without detrimental deformation and their bus arms are made of sufficient length to extend beyond the path of the flames and gases in the furnace.

The interchangeability of the members and the simple means provided for their connection facilitate repairs and replacement and greatly reduce the expenses con-1 nected therewith and the one-piece construction of the conducting members eectively prevents short circuitmg or overloading of an one part thereof.

n the construction shown in Figure 5, the bus-arms of the holders are composed of spaced and integrally interconnected longilink 6 -which connects the members at i vwe claim and desire to secure by Letters- Patent is:

l. An electrode holder of the character described comprising a pair of cooperating clamping members each composed' of a jaw and a bus-bar formed together of one piece of metal. A

i 2. An electrode holder ofV the character described, comprising a pair of cooperating clamping members each composed of a jaw having apertured reenforcing bosses, a busbar made integral with the jaw, and hangerbolts in the apertures of the bosses.

3. An electrode-holder of the character described comprising a pair of clamping members each composed of a jaw, a bus-bar made integral therewith and a pair of apertured ears at the juncture of the bus-bar and the jaw, and a link pivoted between the ears of the members.

4. An electrode holder of the character described comprising a pair of clampingmembers each composed of a curved faced jaw and a bus-bar made integral therewith, and a curved link pivotally connecting the members in continuity with the curved faces of their jaws.

5. An electrode-holder of the character described comprising a pair of clampingmembers each composed of a curved faced jaw and a bus-bar madel integral therewith, and a curved link members, said link having an independent self-adjusting movement with relation to the jaws. A

6. Inan electrode' holder of the character described, a clamping member having a jaw and a bus bar made integral therewith and composed of aplurality of spaced, integrally.

connected laminas.

7. In an electrode holder of the character described, a clamping member having a jaw and a bus bar made integral therewith and composed of a plurality of spaced laminae.

8. In an electrode holder, apair of clamp= ing members each comprising a jaw and a bus bar in rigid connection therewith, a link connecting the members at the junctures of their jaws and bus bars, and means at the free ends of the jaws for fastening them together.

9. In an electrode holder, a pair of clamping members each comprising a jaw and a bus bar in rigid connection therewith and clam in members eachcom risin acurved pivotally connected at the junctures of their fastening the jaws together, and a link conjaws and bus bars, and means for astening necting the members at their jaws and bus bars.

In testimony whereof We have aixed our signatures.

the free ends of the jaws together.

10. In an electrode holder, a pair of jaw having a projecting lip at one end, and a bus bar rividly connected with the, jaw at its other en means applied to the lips for the junctures of 15 ROBERT M. KEENEY. y PHILIP JAY LONERGAN, JR. l 

